Raincoat



June a, 1943. 'E, wELgH 2,321,116

mmcom Filed Dec. 29,1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor Edward weich v ttorney I June 8,1943. I I w 1 2,321,116

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Filed Dec. 29, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheqt 2 111 1/1212 tor Edward tZ/gicb v41 torfley I and lower garments of the Patented June 8 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

Edward Welch, Valley Falls, R. I. .App ca ion December 29,((1:1)4;,- S::alNo. 42 90 3 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in raincoats, which while adapted for use on any type.

I am aware that others have made various attempts to provide gutters on raincoats, to guide the water collecting on the surface thereof and discharge it-away from the wearer, but so far as I am aware none of these have been employed practically in use.

My invention comprises merely the addition of eight detachable fastener means adjacent the lower edge of the raincoat so that spaced portions of thelower edge of the raincoat may be outturned, upturned and fastened to the body of the e I raincoat to provide gutters along each edge of the raincoat downwardly inclined from the center portions of the front and rear of the raincoat to the center portions of the side portions of the raincoat, the ends of the gutters being slightly spaced apart from each other to provide a spout for discharging the water at the center portions of the side portions of the raincoat which are spaced laterally of the wearers and shoes so that the water will be discharged away therefrom. My invention, therefore, merely comprises the addition of eight detachable fastener means on the lower portion of the raincoat.

A further object of my invention is to provide a positive spout projecting laterally from each side of the raincoat to discharge rain water at a still greater lateral distance away from the shoes wearer. In my preferred embodiment these spouts comprise hemicircular projects projecting ter portion of each side of the raincoat between the two spaced adi acent gutter forming separable fastener units, and it is obvious that as the lower portions of the raincoat are being outturned, upturned and-fastened that the intermediate circular projection will be simultaneously lifted and raised to a spout forming horizontal position.

- A further feature of my invention resides in the fact that 1; preferably employ as a fastening means cooperating male and female fastening elements having walls exterior of the raincoat adapted to abut when fastened to space apart the portions of insure open top portions tively catch all the .water that is from the surface of the raincoat.

of the gutters to posidripping down lower garments downwardly on the centhe raincoat and thus positively- These and such other objects of my invention as may hereinafter appear will be best understood from a description of the accompanying drawings, which thereof.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved raincoat in attached position on a wearer with the lower edges thereof upturned and fastened to provide the characteristic gutters and spouts of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a. plan view of araincoat equipped with my invention in spread out open position, illustrating-in dotted lines how the lower portions thereof may be outturned, upturned and fastened to provide the downwardly inclined gutters and cooperating spouts.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view taken from one end of a gutter, illustrating the type of separable fastener elements I preferably employ.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference generally indicate like parts throughout, l0 generally illustrates a raincoat constructed in accordance with my invention. The raincoat is provided with the usual lower edge [2 and the usual centrally split attaching frontportion l4 with the portions of the raincoat adjacent thereto being provided with the usual buttons l6 and button holes l8 for securing the raincoat H) to the wearer 20'. Most types of raincoats as in the embodiment shown are also provided with the additional split 22 at the lower end of the center of the rear portion thereof, although raincoats may be made without this rear split por-- tion 22. j

I provide a spout forming portion 24 projecting downwardly centrally of each side thereof, preferably as shown of hemi-circular shape and pref- 26, etc., respectively.

erably also as shown, constructed as an integral part of the body of the raincoat. It is apparent, therefore, that the spouts 24 may be readily made in the initial cut of the raincoat, although, if desired, they may comprise separately attached pieces.

I also provide vertically aligned cooperatin detachable male and female fastening means secured to the lower portion of the raincoat in the manner to be described. These male and female fastening means may comprise buttons and button holes, but I preferably employ cooperatingmale and female separable fastening elements for this purpose as they are easier to attach and more positive in their holding action. I preferably employ eight different sets of separable fastener units26, 28, 30, 32, 34, prising a male element 36, 38 and 40, each com- 26 'and a female element While the position of the male and female elements may be reversed if desired, in the embodiment shown I preferably em= ploy the male separable fastener elements 26*,

illustrate an embodiment lationship adjacent the 28'", etc., along the lower edge of the raincoat and the vertically aligned female separable fastener elements 26, 28, etc. above them. I preferably also employ cooperating male and female separable elements 26 and 26 having walls 42 (see Fig. 3) exterior of said raincoat adapted to abut when fastened to space apart portions of the raincoat fastened thereby to provide the open top portions 44 of the downwardly inclined gutters 46 to be described. Certain of said elements, in the embodiment showing the male fastening elements, are secured in spaced relationship adja cent the lower edge of the raincoat adjacent the center portions of the front and rear thereof, namely the elements 26 and 40" adjacent the center portions of the front of the raincoat immediately adjacent each side of the split portion I4 and'the elements 32 and 34 in spaced recenter portion of the rear thereof, in the embodiment shown adjacent each side of the split 22 thereof, and on each side of each spout forming projection 24, thus the male separable fastener elements 28 and 30 being mounted on each side of one spout forming projection 24 and the separable male fastener elements 36 and 38 being mounted on each side of the other spout 24 on the opposite side of the raincoat. The cooperating vertically aligned separable fastener elements, in the embodiment shown the female separable fastener elements 26, 32, 34 and adjacent each center portion of the front and rear thereof, in the embodiment shown adjacent each respective split l4 and 22, are secured to the raincoat at a substantially greater vertical distance above their cooperating fastener elements than are the cooperating female separable fastener element 28 30, 36 and 38 on each side of each respective spout 24 so that when the lower portions of said raincoat between said splits and spouts, namely the portions 48 between the front split l4 and spouts 24 and the portions 50 between the rear split 22 and spouts 24 are outturned, upturned and fastened to the raincoat, raincatching gutters 48 and 50* having open rain receiving top portions are provided downwardly inclined from each center portion or split l4 and 22 in the front and rear of said raincoat to each spout portion 24 at the side of the raincoat and the spout forming portions 24 are simultaneously raised by the lifting of said portions 48 and 50 upwardly, to a substantially horizontal position, as shown at 24 in Fig. l, discharging the rainwater from said inclined gutters 48g and 5i! laterally 0f the wearer's shoes and cloths, as shown in Fig. 1 at 52. Fig. 1 also illustrates how the rain 54 abuts the surface of the raincoat and discharges downwardly as at 56 into the gutters 48 and 50* to be discharged thereby laterally of the raincoat as at 52. While I preferably show the projections 24 of hemicircular shape, it is obvious that they may be constructed of any shape suitable to provide suitable spouts.

It is apparent, therefore, that I have provided a novel type of raincoat which may b worn in the heaviest rains and which will positively prevent the rain from falling over the lower garments and shoes of the wearer.

It is understood that my invention is not limited to the specific embodiment shown and that various deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A raincoat having a loweredge having subthereof, and

stantially hemi-circular'spout forming portions projecting downwardly centrally of each sid vertically aligned cooperating mal and female separable fastener elements havin walls exterior of said raincoat adapted to abut when fastened to space apart the portions of the raincoat connected thereby, secured to the lower portion of said raincoat, certain of said elements being secured in spaced relationship, adjacent the lower edge of said raincoat adjacent the center portions of the front and rear thereof and on each side of each spout forming projection, and the cooperating vertically aligned separable fastenerelements adjacent each center portion being secured at a substantially greater vertical distance above their cooperating elements than are the cooperating separable fastener elements on each side of each spout so that when the lower portions of said raincoat between said center portions and spouts are outtumed, upturned and fastened to said raincoat, rain catching gutters having open rain receiving top portions are provided downwardly inclined from each center portion to each spout portion and the spout portions are raised upwardly to a substantially horizontal position discharging the rain from said inclined gutters laterally of the wearer's shoes and clothes.

2. A raincoat having a lower edge having spout forming portions trally of each side thereof, and vertically aligned cooperating detachable male and female fastening means secured to the lower portion of said raincoat, certain of said means being secured in spaced relationship adjacent the lower edge of said raincoat adjacent the center portions of the front and rear thereof and on each side of each spout forming projection, and the cooperating vertically aligned separable fastening means adjacent each center portion being secured at a substantially greater vertical distance above their cooperating fastening means than are the 00- operating fastening means on each side of each spout so that when the lower portions of said raincoat between said center portions and spouts are outturned, upturned and fastened to said raincoat, rain catching gutters having open rain receiving top portions are provided downwardly inclined from each center portion to each spout portion and the spout portions are raised upwardly towards a substantially horizontal posi-- tion discharging the rain from said inclined gutters laterally of the wearers shoes and clothes.

3. A raincoat having vertically aligned cooperating detachable male and female fastening means securedto the lower portion of said raincoat, certain of said fastening means being secured in spaced relationship adjacent the lower edge of said raincoat adjacent the center portions of the front and rear thereof spaced distance from each other substantially centrally of each side thereof, and the cooperat ingvertically aligned fastening means adjacent each center portion being secured at a substantially greater vertical distance above their cooperating mean than are the slightly spaced cooperating fastening means centrally of each side portion so that when the lower portions of aid raincoat between and slightly beyond each pa r of cooperating fastening means are outturned, up-

turned and fastened to said raincoat, rain ca hing gutters having open rain receiving top portions are provided downwardly inclined from each centerportion discharging centrally of each side portion.

EDWARD WELCH.

projecting downwardly cenand at a slightly 

